Help - flummoxed by a can opener!

[redcollective]

SWMBO dug up a (allegedly) german army cutlery set the other day. We tried to open a can of tuna with it to no avail.

... she has a PhD!

I know I risk considerable shame admitting this but I have no idea how it's sposed to work either - is it a lefty set?

Same as this picture from google images.

Now before you say it we weren't using the spoon

 

[scanker]

How far did you get? I'm assuming you stick the "stabby" bit in and lever upward and shuffle it forward, repeating the action. No joy?

 

[addyb]

If it's anything like a P38 "John Wayne" can opener, then you might try shuffling it backward. The blade cuts as opposed to taking bites/chunks out of the can.

Even so, nothing beats a Victorinox SAK can opener. It leaves my P38 in the dust.

Adam

 

[hawsome34]

If my memory serves me right. you need to

stab the longest of the two points into the edge of the lid.
Work it into the slit.
Use the the facing edge of the other point.
Lift and push forwards, whilst rotating the tin.

Once you suss it, you'll realise they are quite dependable.

Still I prefer the UK issue flappy tin openers, much smaller and easier to use(when the weather is warm)

Aside of this, just carefully butcher the tin to reveal your contents.

Good luck

 

[bushtuckerman]

personally i prefer a wenger/leatherman design can opener, you get to pull rather than push, which is a more natural, and therefore more effective way of opening a can IMO...can of worms anyone?

but that's neither here nor there re the german cutlery.

 

[redcollective]

Ah right - we didn't get as far as stabbing it - I tried pressing really hard using it left handed like the can opener on an SAK but it was hard work and didn't feel right - it makes sense now. Cheers fellas.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Your wife has a PhD, but in what domain? My alma mater didn't give out doctorates in opening cans...

This is something that you should have learned as a small child, if you're over 35. At least, I did. My grandmother only ever used this sort of thing, until the arthritis got too much, and she went to some peculiar contraption with about twenty moving parts that would work well for about five cans before the teeth on the gears would grind off...


K.

 

[EdS]

like most of the these penknife can openers they are not must good if you are left handed - check out where the cutting side is. The only one for lefties that I've found is on the Victorianox Mauser knife.

 

[Nemisis]

I've just had a couple of the P51 type can openers the bigger version of the "baby can openers" from BCB and I have to say I was disappointed that I had to put an edge on them before I could use them
Dave

 

[BorderReiver]

SWMBO dug up a (allegedly) german army cutlery set the other day. We tried to open a can of tuna with it to no avail.

... she has a PhD!

Don't forget that a PhD means she knows a lot about a little.

I assume that her doctorate wasn't in opening tins.

 

[EdS]

BSc - Bull Sh*tting certificate

MSc - Mega sh*tting certificate

PhD - piled higher and deeper

 

[redcollective]

LOL - yeh it's something to do with biochemistry and genetic transformation.

I'm the tin-can opening expert now!

 

[Keith_Beef]

LOL - yeh it's something to do with biochemistry and genetic transformation.

I'm the tin-can opening expert now!

You're the one with the B.Eng. then?


K.